31. Walk in Newness of Life
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The promise is that we should walk in newness of life. We have been promised a new life: it is eternal life, it is God’s life, it is the life of Jesus in us, it is everything we hoped life would be. The newness of life is in contrast to the old man, the old life, the life of the sinful human nature, the kind of life that actually destroys life and brings us closer to death.
Life, real life, is always new and fresh, always curious and interesting, always joyful and exhilarating. It is likened to the analogy of a young child to whom almost every experience is new. When a created human person is open to the teachings and workings of God in creation, history and current experiences that person is constantly learning something new. When a child of God is opened to the revelations of Scripture taught by the Holy Spirit he experiences new insights, new understandings and new truths in his new life.
The most important and relevant aspect of “newness of life” is the spiritual life and faith affecting day-by-day words and actions; the new life actually motivates and empowers one to think clean thoughts and do good works. The new life in the believer is far superior in good works than the old life in the believer, which is inferior in sins. The believer comes into this new life and walks in newness when he is buried with Christ by baptism into death and resurrection. The old man really drowns and dies and the new man actually comes forth and arises. Newness of life is a promise we can live with.